title: Hepatosplenic candidiasis in children with acute leukemia.
abstract: Three children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed disseminated fungal disease predominantly involving the liver and spleen. The three patients were undergoing induction chemotherapy and had neutropenia when they presented prolonged fever not responsive to antibiotics. Once neutropenia was recovered, hepatosplenomegaly leukocytosis, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase, and hypoechoic areas in the spleen and liver ultrasound were observed. All fungal blood cultures were negative, with the diagnosis being confirmed by histologic study. One of the patients died without achieving control of the candidiasis. The other two patients received prolonged antifungal treatment concurrently with chemotherapy and both are alive, one of them cured and in complete remission. The increasing frequency of this infection in recent years and the importance of a prompt and prolonged administration of antifungal therapy to obtain the cure are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Unit, Hospital Infantil La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verdeguer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Esquembre
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Castel
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000209:etiology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents